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<DIV><FONT size=4>All,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Mark Seman, Bill London, Burt Sid, et al, have recently posted
notes calling notice to the original rules and intentions of Vision 2020 and
presenting data showing some of us are not adhering to the original
rules.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Like many other organizations, Vision 2020 has evolved into
something not envisioned by its founders.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>In my opinion, freedom of expression is one of the most, if
not the most precious freedom we have in this country. But when you open a
forum where freedom of expression is to be practiced, you can expect almost
anything to happen, as it has with Vision 2020.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Pardon me if I state a few obvious things:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>1. Not everyone is interested in every
topic, photo, cartoon, news item, etc that is posted by a long
shot.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>2. Many topics, photos, cartoons, news
items, etc are not specifically about local issues.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>3. Some posts are rancorous, nasty,
etc.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>4. Some people post a lot more than
others.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>5. Some members do not post at all for a
variety of reasons.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>V 2020 has become in part a forum for informing its members
about news items/reports that may affect their perspectives, and may change
their actions on local, national, and global issues. I know from private
emails and conversations that some users appreciate this kind of
information. Not everyone has time to keep up with the many events/issues
that affect their lives. But some people also feel that the posting
of non-local news items is a waste of their time and bandwidth.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Some postings are very rancorous and nasty. Some of
these nasty posts contain useful information. Some nasty posts are quite
creative. Some V 2020ers also find these
nasty entertaining/interesting in a number of ways. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Do these nasty posts discourage some from participating in
debate? Perhaps. But those who are afraid to offer their opinions
because they fear the responses they may get are perhaps a little too timid
about those opinions. Some politicians/public figures are also afraid
to expose their thinking to their constituents or the public for a number
of reasons. Some people do not like to be shown they are in error.
But all of us make errors. All of us have limited knowledge. If we were to
not do anything where there was a risk of error, nothing would get
done.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>It does not bother me if some people post more than
others. From a practical rhetorical point of view, a number of shorter
posts are more effective and more likely to be read by a greater number of
people than one long post. It doesn't bother me that snippets of our
discussions are posted elsewhere. That is the nature of public
debate. [It is interesting that some of these external postings are made
out of context, leave out crucial statements central to understanding them, or
changed to say something different from the original post -- that is a
reflection on the cowardice and integrity of the reposters, not the original
posters.]</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>If anyone reading this far has ever watched the British
Parliament debate issues, they know that the rancor of V 2020 threads is several
quantum levels politer than the British Parliamentary debates. You want
rancorous debates? Listen to some of the Nixon tapes! There are
thousands of forums on the internet. Vision 2020 is not different from
many in terms of rancor, topics, and lop-sided participation.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff size=4><STRONG>In my opinion, restricting
debate/comment/etc, except for trying to limit libelous material, kills ideas,
spontaneity, interest, and makes much debate impotent and
uninteresting.</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG><FONT size=5>So the question is: Whither Vision
2020?</FONT></STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Should the rules be enforced as originally written or should
they be either changed or continued to be ignored and let V 2020 flow
naturally along?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>If the rules are to be enforced as currently
written:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4> 1. Who will enforce
them?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4> 2. Perhaps it is time to
start a new forum, where free-flowing debate/comment, unlimited by topic, tone,
timidity, prudishness, or number of posts is allowed and encouraged (As I
believe was the intention of the founding fathers/mothers of our country with
respect to debating public issues.)</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>If the rules are to be changed, how can this be accomplished
so that the majority of V 2020ers can live with the new rules, and the new rules
still encourage a frank, unlame exchange of ideas, comments,
etc?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4>Or will the threads on this topic simply die as they
have several times in the past?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><BR>Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)<BR><A
href="mailto:deco@moscow.com">deco@moscow.com</A><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4></FONT> </DIV>
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